Student Perspectives from LSU’s College of Engineering

Tag: Study Abroad

The Encounter Engineering in Europe (E3) study abroad program offers students new experiences while touring Germany cities and diverse factories. This year, the students have been writing blog posts about their time abroad. Learn all about it on their website here: https://2017e3germany.wixsite.com/e32017!

Have you ever wanted to study engineering at one of the top universities in Germany while earning LSU credit? How about learning environmental engineering in one of the most sustainable countries in the world?

People say you learn the most outside of your comfort zone, and LSU Academic Programs Abroad gives students like you the opportunity to do so on a global scale. Whether you want to study abroad in Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, or maybe right here in the United States, they have the perfect program for you.

One of the best ways to study abroad as an engineer is through the Global Engineering Education Exchange (Global E3). It is comprised of leading engineering universities from all over the world that host students interested in studying abroad for either a semester or a year. Through this program, students are able to gain invaluable international experience, while paying LSU tuition. The majority of Global E3 universities offer courses in English, so learning a new language is not necessary (but always encouraged). Some of the participating universities even offer supplemental internships after students’ time abroad. If you are interested in applying, the deadline is Feb. 24.

If you’d like to stay a bit closer to home, the National Student Exchange (NSE) could be the right fit for you. This exchange offers over 170 different colleges and universities to choose from in 48 states, 7 Canadian provinces, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and Guam. This is a great option for students looking into graduate schools, as well. The deadline to apply for this program is Feb. 14.

No matter which program you choose, you are in for an unforgettable educational experience, increased self-awareness, and memories to last a lifetime. To get more information about studying abroad, visit the LSU Academic Programs Abroad office at 103 Hatcher Hall and speak with a peer advisor today. You can also visit their website at www.lsu.edu/studyabroad.

A group of students recently toured Seattle as part of the Encounter Engineering program. Here’s an account of the trip from one of them!

Growing up in a small town where a trip to the grocery store means running into half of the population is vastly different than the hustle and bustle of a large metropolitan city. Deciding to attend Louisiana State University was a large step outside of my comfortable bubble of the quaint small town life, but it wasn’t my last step. Approaching my junior year, I was presented with the opportunity to travel with the College of Engineering to Seattle, WA. Being honest, the idea of traveling across the United States with a group of strangers was quite daunting, but I decided to take a leap of faith and sign up for this new adventure!

Upon landing in Seattle, we were whisked away with frigid air and a busy schedule. Through the week we toured seven companies including: Arena Net, Google, Amazon, Boeing, Expedia, Glympse, and 343 Industries. At each of these companies we were not only greeted with open arms, but also given a glimpse of the “real world;” each company presenting us with a different view of life in industry.

Arena Net was one of the first stops on our industry tour. One of the most memorable parts of this tour was the “Sound Room,” where all the sounds within their video games are created. This exposed each of us to a new aspect of engineering, sound engineering, but our adventure did not stop there.

The next day, we arrived at Amazon bright and early in the heart of Seattle. Outside the front entrance was a community banana stand. Each morning employees of Amazon give away bananas to anyone who walks by and they also have special treats for all furry friends. Amazon works to embrace and welcome the community as a thank you for all the support they have received from Seattle.

Reflecting upon this short cross-country trip, the experience taught me more than how to answer interview questions or build a resume. This trip gave me insight on what it is like to embrace a new culture and grow both personally and professionally. One of the most valuable pieces of advice I learned from this trip is to “be brave.” Whether it is exploring a new type of engineering or opening a banana stand to show appreciation to your community, it is the new ideas, the risks, and the bravery that make you successful in life.

Here’s an excerpt from our Encounter Engineering in Europe (E3) 2016 study abroad group. You can see all of their posts from the summer on their website at http://2016lsue3.wix.com/geaux.

“Worth the Trek” by Estin Field

Our day began early as we headed out to Corratec, a company who designs and assembles a wide variety of bikes. After a long train ride, we wandered through the city until we finally found our destination. Corratec was like no other excursion we have had so far; we were not led by a tour guide, but instead their head research and development engineer. Because he was an engineer he was able to explain the design process in great detail. Before our tour began, we had a special visitor: the CEO and founder of Corratec. He was happy to have us there, and answered any questions we had. He mentioned that his job gets harder everyday as his company expands. When asked about the vision he had for his company, he said he wanted to be different from other bike companies, and to also follow a different path than his father before him.

After beginning the tour I was very surprised. The process began with a single, human worker attaching spokes to rim that were reinforced by an automated machine. The worker also had assistance from high-tech machine spinning the rim as she attached the spokes. This was a big difference from BMW and Porsche, who have robots assembling their products. The bikes were then moved through the shop by hooks that moved on a track on the ceiling. Human workers assembled various parts of the frames as the hooks came by.

After finishing the factory tour, we were shown the engineering office. There, they used SolidWorks to design various bike components and overall products. This is the same program Mrs. Paige Davis taught many of us in her CM 1020 class. We learned how they design and make prototype models for future bikes. Overall, this was one of the most interesting factory tours we’ve had, and definitely one of my favorites!

LSU’s Encounter Engineering in Europe (E3) is a summer study abroad program in Germany, giving students hands-on learning experiences and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. This year’s 2015 cohort has created a blog to share their stories. Here are just a couple below, but you can check out their full blog at http://geauxe3.weebly.com/!

The beautiful city of Heidelberg

Welcome to BASF! posted June 26, 2015

Today started off earlier than normal. We had to be ready and out the door by 8:10. BASF had sent a bus to take us up from our hostel to their plant in Ludwigshafen, about 30 minutes away. The bus that was sent was a gift of its own- we didn’t have to walk a mile to the train station or take a public bus. But best of all, the bus had AIR CONDTIONING! For some reason, it seems Germans just don’t believe in air conditioning, I guess it’s not efficient enough for them. Anyway, we arrived at the plant’s front gate and Dr. Jessel, the head of recruiting, met us. From the front gate, I could see what I was really getting myself into. The shear size of some of the equipment was a little hard to believe. With our jaws still gaped open, Dr. Jessel welcomed us and handed out our guest passes for the plant. She began with saying that “last night was the fun, but today is the work.” I blew it off, thinking that we wouldn’t really do anything that hard. Man, was I wrong.

We were brought into a conference room where we were given water, juice, and cookies. We took our seats, and Dr. Jessel began her presentation on BASF and the company’s history. She gave us some of the statistics on the plant and mentioned that it is the world’s largest chemical plant run by a single company. She also discussed the products BASF manufactures such as polyethylenes, plastics, coatings, and paints. After her presentation, a process engineer named Stefan Höser, gave us a presentation on Advanced Process Control. He talked about the role he plays in maintaining constant and efficient production while avoiding problems like overheating or extreme pressures. We were then led to another building where we met Dr. Nübling, the butandiol plant manager.

He gave us a presentation on the plant then we got suited up in safety glasses and hard hats to tour the plant. He guided us up to the top of some of the platforms around 5 stories high, and we had to weave our way through the metal jungle of pipes, gages, and valves. We got some wonderful views of the plant, which the size of a small city. We later went to eat in one of the 8 canteens/restaurants on site and found out that the plant also has apartments, railways, roads, showers, laundromats, and 15,000 bikes. After we ate, we finished the day with a bus tour of the rest of the site and the BASF museum. It was an incredible experience to see such a large scale production in full force and get to know the people involved in the process. If the next three years go as planned, I can only wish to be a part of something as spectacular.

– Darrin Paul, Chemical Engineering Sophomore

Sunny Side Up: posted June 30, 2015

My stomach rumbled as I wandered into the dining room for breakfast. I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered the hotel had hot, fresh eggs! After a quick breakfast, I enjoyed the rest of my morning journaling on the terrace, with a breathtaking view of the Alps ahead of me. I met up with the group for class at 9 a.m. in one of the large conference rooms on the second floor. Bart began with a short German lesson consisting of laundry terms, so we could wash clothes at the hotel. We only had one mishap: the spin cycle was turned off for the first load, forcing Darrin to wring out his wet clothes and hang them up to dry.

Afterward, we formed groups of two to pull together the most important information from our BASF and Scheffel’s Brewery tours. The groups presented their findings and led the class in discussion. This exercise was followed by a Chase’s presentation on biodegradable plastics, which related to BASF’s Ecoflex.

We were then dismissed to work on our projects due this evening. My class, HNRS 2020, is writing individual cultural analysis papers, while the IE 4785 class is working on group video presentations on various forms of renewable energy. After lunch, class resumed at 1:30, and Stacey presented her research on the chemical instability of beer. We continued working on our projects well into the afternoon, and thankfully, the eggs we had for breakfast gave us enough fuel to finish our projects in time.